


Ghosts

by annajustice



Series: They're Good Together [3]
Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26806192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annajustice/pseuds/annajustice
Summary: When Hailey gets a surprise visit from a ghost of her past, Jay is there to pick up the pieces.
Relationships: Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Series: They're Good Together [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138988
Kudos: 58





	Ghosts

Hailey grabbed a pen out of the cup on Jay’s desk before sitting down at her own. He started to say something, but she threw a smirk over her shoulder and Jay decided he was perfectly content with watching her walk away. He tried to focus on the report he was writing, but his eyes kept betraying him and finding the blonde working across the way. He glanced up every few seconds, watching intently as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth before aggressively marking something on the paper in front of her. 

Jay shifted nervously and Hailey looked up, giving him a face before going back to work. He felt his cheeks heat up, he had been caught. He busied himself again, only to be distracted by a groan coming from Hailey’s desk. Jay looked up like before, witnessing her run her hands through her hair aggressively. Jay jumped up, moving to lean against the side of her desk. “It’s a slow day, wanna go get coffee?”

Hailey looked up, her eyes brightening at his words before she nodded vigorously. “Please?” 

“Let’s go.” Jay said, grabbing his jacket and his keys. Hailey couldn’t hide the smile on her face, she was ready to get away and coffee with Jay sounded like the perfect outing.

The two of them bounded down the stairs, Hailey keeping her eyes on him as he rambled out something stupid that Adam had done, causing her to laugh. “Upton.” Platt called from the desk, Hailey’s head snapped up to look at her.

Her and Jay both stopped in their tracks to listen to their desk sergeant. “What’s up sarge?”

Trudy nodded towards the front of the room, “Someone’s here for you.” 

Hailey nodded, turning to scan the room. Her entire body froze when her eyes landed on a man she hadn’t seen in years.  _ Her father. _

She felt her heart rate speed up, her chest rising and falling quickly. She was stuck in place, her gaze fixed on him. She felt heat behind her, snapping her out of her haze. “Hailey?” Jay asked from behind her. 

Hailey looked up at him and then back to her father, who had noticed her presence. She tried to speak but nothing came out, she was utterly shocked and at a loss. Her father stood and Hailey scanned his body, her eyes widening when she saw his swollen knuckles. He took a step forward, causing her to take a subconscious step back into Jay’s chest. 

“Hailey.” He said, taking another step towards her. Hailey had nowhere else to go, she was already pressed up against Jay who was abnormally silent. She fisted the bottom of his jacket in her hand, desperate to hold onto to anything. 

“Hailey?” She heard in a low voice, a familiar one. She felt Jay’s breath against her neck, confirming that she hadn’t imagined him whispering in her ear. 

Her dad made his way to her quicker than before, and Hailey’s breath caught in her throat. “It’s great to see you sweetheart.” He said and Hailey felt her eyes sting. Before she could even comprehend what was happening, she was running out of the district.

She hated feeling this way. Weak. It wasn’t her and it hadn’t been for a long time. She ran until she reached the truck, leaning against the side of it. Her eyes stung with potential tears and she fought to control them. She refused to let her father have this much power over her, but the last thing she had expected to see was him. 

Jay watched Hailey run out of the district and finally put the pieces together. He glared at the man in front of him, who was watching the door with a shocked expression on his face. The way Jay saw it, he had two choices: comfort Hailey or clock her father. Fortunately for him, Hailey would win every time.

Jay stared him down as he booked it out of the building, going to search for his partner. His heart ached for her, he had never seen her so terrified before. He rounded the corner and saw Hailey bent over the front of his truck. He took off running, slowing down before he reached her so he didn’t scare her. 

“Hailey?” He asked quietly, edging closer. Hailey’s head snapped up, his green eyes meeting her red and puffy ones. He sighed taking a cautious step forward. Hailey snifiled, her bottom lip quivering again and Jay took it as an invitation to wrap his arms around her. 

Hailey relaxed into his embrace, fisting his jacket once again. She cried for quite some time, pushing away the thoughts threatening to consume her.

Jay rested his chin on Hailey’s head, hugging her tighter. He was happy to know that she trusted him enough to let him in and show him this side of her, but he hated that this was something she was dealing with in the first place. Not only that, but after weeks of moving in the right direction, he hated that their first hug was because she was hurting. He wanted it to be joyful, maybe even celebratory, not painful. 

Hailey trembled in his arms and Jay felt his heart clench in his chest. He brought a hand to the back of her hair and combed his fingers through her hair. “You’re safe, I’m here.” He said softly, only loud enough for her to hear.

Hailey nearly choked on her own spit at his words, partly because they were true. She felt safer, happier even, in his arms. Hailey internally groaned, her father ruined everything. Including her first truly intimate moment with Jay. She hated herself and how vulnerable she felt, and she also hated how it took her seeing her dad again for her to open up to Jay. It wasn’t fair to him, it was his job to be her rock. 

Jay wanted to scream when Hailey pulled away, he wasn’t ready to let go yet. She wiped under her eyes and smiled softly. “I’m okay.” She said and Jay eyed her. “Let’s go.” She said and pulled open the passenger door.

He stood there and watched her, he knew she wasn’t “okay,”but he knew better than to push Hailey. They were a solid team and he had no doubt that she would talk to him eventually, but he wasn’t sure if he could wait that long. 

Jay climbed to his side, revving the engine and pulling out of the parking lot. He drove towards Hailey’s favorite coffee shop, even though it was a little out of the way. They ordered and waited in silence and by the time they left, Jay was getting restless. 

“Stop pretending you’re okay.” He blurted at a red light. 

Hailey looked down at her hands, “I’m fine.” She said quietly. 

“You’re not and you don’t have to be.” Jay said honestly.

Hailey sighed, she wanted to talk to him but she couldn’t bear to fall apart again, not in front of him. “I don’t know how to be around him.” She admitted, “I’m a cop Jay, a detective and I think I’m a pretty damn good one. I carry a gun, I take down terrible people every day and I can’t bear to be in the same room as him. How pathetic is that?” She rushed out, feeling the tears gather again. 

“Hailey,” He said, smiling at her. “That might be the least pathetic thing ever.” He sighed out.

Hailey rolled her eyes, avoiding his gaze. 

“You  _ are _ a damn good detective, better than I will ever be.” He said, “Hailey I am amazed by you every day, having a hard one or a difficult or damaging past does not make you pathetic. It makes you strong, or at least I hope it does because if not I must be the most pathetic man on earth.”

Hailey smiled, feeling her cheeks heat up a bit. She had never been good at taking compliments and there was something about Jay Halstead singing her praises that made her stomach due summersaults. “Thank you.”

Jay shrugged, “It’s the truth.” Hailey laughed and Jay raised his eyebrows. “I’m serious, you make me look like shit sometimes. I think Voight wishes he could trade me in for a second Hailey.” Hailey blushed and Jay smirked. He liked having such an effect on her. 

They eventually found themselves back at the district and Hailey was thankful that Jay made her forget about her dad for a little while. The two of them spent a few minutes outside, preparing and planning for their escape back to the bullpen, but when they entered the Upton patriarch was nowhere to be found. Instead, Platt held up a piece of paper and motioned for Hailey to come to her. 

Platt handed her the sheet with no further explanation and Hailey read it as Jay looked over her shoulder.

_ Hailey, _

_ Your mother and I miss you very much. We wish we got to see you more often. I want to fix things and explain, please call me. _

_ All my love, _

_ Dad _

Hailey took a deep breath and looked to Jay, who nodded slowly. She took the paper between her fingers and ripped it in half, throwing it into the trashcan next to the desk. 

The two partners made their way back to their floor, Jay wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. She was going to be okay, and as long as she was by his side, so would he. 


End file.
